Modesto man arrested for alleged role in Ceres bar stabbing

Ceres police arrested a Modesto resident Thursday on suspicion of stabbing two men at a Ceres bar on March 31. John Paul Lopez Jr., 33, was booked at the Stanislaus County Jail on two counts of attempted murder, Ceres police Sgt. Jose Berber said in a news release Monday evening.

Ceres police arrested a Modesto resident Thursday on suspicion of stabbing two men at a Ceres bar on March 31. John Paul Lopez Jr., 33, was booked at the Stanislaus County Jail on two counts of attempted murder, Ceres police Sgt. Jose Berber said in a news release Monday evening.

A 22-year-old Turlock man was stabbed and cut eight times and a 23-year-old Turlock man was stabbed twice behind Sweet Lu's Bar, 3014 Fourth St., early March 31. The victims were admitted to a hospital, which in turn contacted the police, Berber said.

Ceres detectives learned that the two Turlock men and a 20-year-old Turlock woman entered the bar together around 1 a.m. There, the woman met Lopez, a former co-worker. As Lopez was making his way out of the bar, the woman made a comment to him, resulting in an argument, police said.

The 23-year-old told Lopez "to back off and stop insulting the lady," Berber wrote in the news release. Lopez challenged the man to a fight in the back parking lot.

Fearing Lopez would hurt the man, the woman went back into the bar and told the 22-year-old man to go help his friend, Berber said.

The younger man joined the fight, during which Lopez produced a knife. The 22-year-old was cut and stabbed eight times, Berber said, and the 23-year-old twice. The injuries were not life-threatening, and both men were released from the hospital, Berber said.

Detectives ask anyone with information about the case to call Detective Derek Perry at (209) 538-5730.